Male golfer wants to play in LPGA Event!

You conservatives are so funny, do you know how insecure you sound. Its just a publicity manuver for the PGA, the LPGA, Anika, and now this guy. If you conservative men are really so worried about a woman taking over that last haven for males, you guys truly have issues.

Believe me, women will not suddenly play in the NBA or NFL or MLB, or whatever because of this. Its not opening a Pandora's Box. And as one poster already stated, the PGA isn't specifically for men according to the by-laws, so technically, if a woman wants to try her hand in the PGA, its like moving up to the major leagues, and if this guy wants to admitt he's only a minor league golpher, so be it.

 

This seems to be more about talent than gender. Talent wants to rise to it's highest possible limit. Annika is the most dominant player the LPGA has. She is at the absolute top of her form and is routinely blowing away the competition. It's natural for her to want to stretch her abilities even further. I guarantee you, if there was a golf tour that was higher than the PGA, Tiger Woods would be interested in testing his abilities against the better players, just as Annika is doing.

So, in Annika Sorenstam, we have an extraordinary talent who wants to challenge her abilities against superior players. And, in Brian Kontak, we have a mediocre talent who wants to limit his abilities against inferior players. Which one exemplifies the true ideals of athletics and sportsmanship?

 

I've heard of Sorenstam. I've never heard of Kontak. I have no problem with Kontak (who must suck to even consider this) playing against inferior players since he is inferior as well. Of course he has that natural physical advantage so he should blow everyone away (like a non-mentally challenged athlete in the Special Olympics). He will look silly no matter what happens. I just have a problem with people jumping all over him cause he wants to play with women. If Sorenstam can hang with the guys, let Kontak hang with the women. That is his choice.

 

So what if he does blow them all away, then these other players who can't hack it on the PGA Tour want to do the same thing? You don't see a problem with that?

 

Besides the fact it's clearly a publicity stunt, this is about someone who has the natural ability to play in the PGA, but decides to try for a lower league because it is less demanding and the money may be easier. That's pretty lame and very unsportsmanlike.

Annika was invited by a PGA tour sponsor. This has all been approved by the PGA (I assume they're excited about a potential increase in viewership for this event). Although there is also an LPGA event that weekend, Annika turned down the almost certain winner's purse from that event, to test abilities against the men of the PGA (an event in which she is almost certain to win no money).

Drap -- your idea for co-ed golf is something I was thinking about myself. I think the only problem in combining the tours would be the logistics of getting a couple hundred players through the course in a timely fashion. It could be difficult.

 

I'm a gurly man.

 

Mrs JB,

Don't you think that is a bit hypicritical?

Personally, I have no problem with Men only, or women only sports.

However, if you are going to allow crossover on one, it is only fair to do the reverse.

There is no guarantee the guy will win, the women play on much shorter courses, but the putting, and short game are the same, and 67% of your shots are in that area, and this guy may not have it.

Publicity = good, as someone said earlier...it is craptastic.

DD

 

I'm not sure that it is. As others have pointed out, the PGA has no rules about being "men only."

Golfers are segregated from a young age. Each gender has their own track that they follow through the amateurs, the qualifying schools and on up to the LPGA and PGA. The perceived gender barrier to the PGA has existed, most likely, because there have never been any women good enough to compete with the men, from the men's tees. Since the PGA has allowed Annika to attempt this, I have to believe that the only barrier has been ability and not gender.

As for the crossover argument. Annika is the one female player in one million that MAY be skilled enough to play with the men from their tees. On the other hand, every single man on the PGA tour is skilled enough to play with the women from their tees. So where's the athletic challenge?

 

Ha! Where's NJRocket?

 

Correction: Annika is the only female golfer who may be able to compete with the males on a SHORT COURSE (7,000 yards vs. most of the course are 7200 yards).
If you put her on every event her length would be a problem, but they found a course where she could compete. Most of the pros will tee off on most of the holes will be hitting a 2 iron vs. her Driver/3 wood.

So on this course if her accuracy is on then she'll be fine but you match her up on a typical course (7200 yards) then she (IMO) could not keep up.

I back this up by saying there are good male golfers on tour who can't drive and they just can't compete anymore (Corey Pavin for example). He can be a good golfer at short courses where the drive isn't a big deal, but on a long track he just can't keep up anymore.

Anyways more power to her. If she makes it to the weekend then she has proven her point (that she can compete) but liek Tiger says if she has a bad couple days it will be a very bad thing for the LPGA.

 

I agree completely. Annika has made no bones about the fact she picked this course precisely because it was one of the few on the PGA tour that was short enough to give her a chance.

I think your observation only further proves that the PGA doesn't need to worry about being overrun with female competitors any time in the near future.

 

I have mixed feelings about this...

One the one hand if you want chicks you need to go where they are and when he plays in a women's tournement there will be lots of chicks around. So that's good.

However, the chicks need to be interested in you and I'm not sure the LPGA is the best place for a <i>man</i> to go to pick up chicks. So that's bad.

So right now I'm questioning his strategy.

 

If he successful becomes a member of the LPGA through the courts (ie. the LPGA is forced to let him in) it will be the end of women's sports until women bring themselves into athletic equality with men.

 

Yeah try and start a "men's only" anything (or have rules that are for men only) and see what you get... SUED


I don't recall anyone suing Augusta for being Men Only.

If Augusta can limit women as a private organization (which it can), why can't the LPGA limit men?

 

Jason Collier should try out for the Comets.

 

So Major it's ok for women to try to get into Augusta (thru peaceful protests and using the media) shouldn't it be ok for a man to try to get into the LPGA thru the media and the courts?

 

So Major it's ok for women to try to get into Augusta (thru peaceful protests and using the media) shouldn't it be ok for a man to try to get into the LPGA thru the media and the courts?

Why'd you add the courts to the LPGA case?

It's perfectly OK for women to try to get into Augusta using the media and/or protests. Same with men & the LPGA.

It's not illegal for either organization to do what they are doing, so why should the courts be involved?

 

Major it's to be seen the legality yet of Augusta limiting members. I don't believe Augusta's rules (bylaws) say it's only male members, just like it didn't say it was only white male members a few years ago. Rather it just doesn't admit female members.

That being said a lawsuit is a possibility at some point at Augusta. I'd bet if the protest is not effective that a lawsuit will follow for discrimation shortly after.